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Technology Stocks : C-Cube -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: VidiVici who wrote (40020)	4/20/1999 7:04:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Respond to of 50808

Korea turns to digital settop box.......................... asiansources.com Satellite receivers Korea: Digital dominates Korea's manufacturers have beaten the handicap of lack of a local market to take a leading role in satellite receiver supply. With the government prepared to grant the first private broadcast licenses in two years, expect them to strengthen that position. Analog receivers have been virtually phased out, and an estimated 20 firms are already engaged in the production of digital receivers. The competition has nearly halved FOB prices in the past year. Newcomer Saejin T&M Co. Ltd typifies the aggressive nature of the business. The firm launched two low-cost free-to-air digital receivers in March, pricing them at $150 apiece, at least $20 less than the previous model, spokesman Lee Tae-Gyun said. This despite the fact that the receivers, models SJ-2121N and SJ-2123, have an improved onscreen menu and Teletext capability. "As a newcomer, we have to cut costs and improve functionality if we are to succeed in the highly competitive markets of Europe and the Middle East," Lee said. The price cut was made possible by replacing five chips with a single chip, he said. Saejin also was scheduled to show a new free-to-air digital receiver with common interface (CI) at the May Cable and Satellite Show in London. Key specifications of this new model are its free-to-air and CI compatibility; dual CI slots for Viaccess, Conax, CryptoWorks, Nagravision and Irdeto; and EPG (electronic program guide) and Teletext capability. Target markets are the Middle East and Europe. Its price has not yet been determined. The rapid take-up of digital has also sparked the development of six new digital set-top boxes (STBs) by Anam Electronics Co. Ltd. Several of the new models support Internet service. "Our major target is the European satellite broadcasters," chief engineering manager Yoo Jong-Wan said. "Each requires a high level of different, sophisticated specifications that only a handful of suppliers can satisfy." Yoo cited Nokia, Philips and Pioneer as the firm's main rivals. Anam already produces two digital STBs for KoreaSat, and has been licensed to produce one for French broadcaster Canal Plus. The firm has French certification for digital model ABS-100, and began mass production of the ABS-110 this year. "As we increase production, we will be able to reduce our prices," Yoo said. Anam has also been exporting Irdeto-specification digital STBs to the Middle East and Europe for the past two years.